Rachel Miselman discusses what government is, and what it needs to be. She also discusses a community center for Allston-Brighton, which has been delayed in development, as well as a rising level of antisemitism in Boston and the United States.
WBCA Podcasts
Bostonian Rap
Hello and welcome to Boston. You're at my name is Rachel Meisselman. You are listening to me on WBCA LP 102.9 FM Boston. This is Boston's community radio station. So before we jump into tonight's show, we are going to go to a quick disclaimer and then we're going to come in and we're going to talk about what government is versus what it should be. Harry does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and management of WBCA or the Boston Neighborhood Network. If you would like to express another opinion, you can address your comments to Boston Neighborhood Network 3025 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 0211.9. To arrange a time for your own commentary, you can call WBCA at 617 708 3215 or email radio at bnnmedia.org. Hello and welcome back to Bostonian Wrap. Again, my name is Rachel Meisselman and you are listening to me on WBCA LP 102.9 FM Boston. So I said that I'd like to talk about what government is versus what it should be, what it quite frankly needs to be. Now, I talk a lot about politics because I always hope that I'm doing what I can, however I can on whatever level I can to initiate dialogue, to create a space, whether it's cyber or an actual physical space for people to talk, have conversations, have fruitful substantive dialogues, and also really to empower people to act because that's just so important. So I'm hoping with this show, I'm often doing that. I want people to ask the questions, to have the conversations, to take action because it's just, it's so important. I don't think that we can afford to be a passive citizenry. And I think that to a considerable extent, that's what we've become. I often talk about nature's government, like in the sense of the types of government, and how government operates, I really try to focus on the people in government. I mean, I could talk about the different types of government. I could talk about the different political systems that are in place in different parts of the world. I can talk about, I guess, the makeup of government, not only here, but in other parts of the world. But I like to focus on, instead, I like to focus on personalities, on people, because I think that here in the United States, I think that we have the makeup of our government. I think our constitution, I think our constitution is absolutely brilliant. I think that the Massachusetts State constitution is absolutely brilliant. And I think that on municipal level, I think that the Boston, the city of Boston, the charter, I think that it's, I think that it's, I think that it's a sound solid document. So I think that every level of government, I think that we have a system in place, we have a type of government in place that allows people to live with dignity, in principle. It allows people to be the architects of their own destiny, a phrase that I often like to use. It allows people to live their lives as they see fit for their own personal and professional fulfillment. The problem is though, is that the people that we have making decisions on our behalf, well, they're just not the most informed people. They're not the smartest people. They're not the most competent people. And sometimes they're not even the most likable people. And so again, I want people to ask questions. I want accountability. I want transparency. And I think I think that can only happen is if we have, again, a citizenry that is, that is active and informed and engaged. Now, whenever I say something or describe something, I usually do so in an abstract sense. But as I talk a little bit more, I like to give a specific example. So I like to start by defining the umbrella, so to speak nicely. So people have an overarching idea of what I'm discussing, the subject matter that I'm trying to not convey, but to kind of break down and articulate. But when it comes to really the takeaways, I like to provide examples so that people can draw readily from what I'm trying to say and put it in their own words. So let me start by giving an example. I have a few tonight. So the other night I was in the Alston Brighton area. So often, Alston, Brighton, people look at it as two neighborhoods. I don't want to say they lump them together. That's not the appropriate word. They join them. They join them together. They join the two neighborhoods, the two communities. And there's certainly, I know, both areas pretty well, both neighborhoods pretty well. There's certainly a lot, you know, first and foremost, of course, the geography. They're adjacent neighborhoods. So, you know, there's certainly right there, a lot, I think, that unites the peoples in both places. I think also there are other similarities to be drawn between the two neighborhoods. For purposes of discussion, and particularly of this issue, I will talk about the Alston Brighton area. Now, I will share that I have lived in Alston and I have also worked in Alston and I have equally worked in Brighton. So again, I do know these two neighborhoods fairly well. I don't pretend to be an expert. I would not sit across from someone from either Alston or Brighton and present myself as someone being more knowledgeable than, you know, them. But it's just to say that I have knowledge more than just a passing knowledge of both neighborhoods. I appreciate and value both neighborhoods greatly. And really, they're just two very beautiful places in Boston. And they certainly add to what makes Boston such a special place. So I was in the Alston Brighton area. I was at the Jackson Man Community Center and the discussion revolved around getting a new community center. It was about the state of the Jackson Man. It was about the need for the services that the Jackson Man has provided not only to Alston, but Brighton, not only to Brighton, but Alston. And the loss that both communities feel and not having a place where they can convene, not having a center that is outfitted with modern equipment and modern, bright sound spaces where people can engage in different activities. And it's sad because this is something that people in the community, including District Councilor 9, Liz Braden, this is something that people have long been advocating for. In fact, the counselor, she put together a bunch of different clips in which she had advocated for our community center, for a new community center, for this district in Boston. And I think it really, all these different instances in which she really, I don't want to say pleated, but really just in different instances, there was frustration. But the advocacy was there and the professionalism was there. But Councillor Braden, she had to really kind of just continue to go over ground that had already been covered so many times. And I think that as I started to say, putting all these clips together really underscored how much time and effort that she's put in, as well as other members of the community to try to get this done. And it's frustrating because I understand that they're competing needs. And so, there are sometimes tough decisions to be made. But I do feel like with all the resources that Boston has, I don't see why it should be so difficult to give these two communities the center, the community center, that they deserve. I don't understand why there have been so many delays. And there were people from there were people from the administration. And I will say that in full disclosure, the commissioner of the Boston centers for youth and families, it's someone that I find her very intelligent. I find her very thoughtful and I find her very capable. This is someone I know, her name is Marta Rivera. And Marta and I actually, we went to school together. And I just, I really do think she's very bright and very capable. And I know that she sees the value in these these centers. There were two other, there was another gentleman present. And then there was someone who was it was actually physically there. He was seated before, you know, members of the community. And then there was someone who was present via Zoom. And so there were several key members of the Wu administration to and I mean, I can talk about these individuals, all these individuals and, you know, get into names and specifics in so far as what roles they've played in Boston City Hall and the length of the careers, the variety of the careers or the variety of the tasks that they've performed as members of the mayoral administration, several, even several mayoral administrations. But I really want to kind of focus on, on the people and how they reacted. And so the, the meeting was, was offsite. So again, I was at the Jackson man. And as I said, people want a new community center and, and not having one has put, not having one with that, that's, that's up to scratch. That is, that is appropriate for the needs of the community and that allows them to convene and play and to learn and to interact and to relax and to just stop and say hello and do all that with, with grace and dignity is just the ask for such a space. It's just, I'm looking for the words because it's just, I felt the frustration of, of, of, of many people in the audience. I felt the anger.